Card Condition Grader
On TCGplayer’s scale a card’s condition is set by how many flaws it has and how bad they are, so the worst flaw sets the ceiling. Creases first appear at Moderately Played, and signatures, stamps, paint, marker, factory crimps or foreign substances such as food make a card Damaged.
Near Mint is the top of the scale: TCGplayer doesn’t sell cards as Mint or Gem Mint.
Free · no sign-up · works on your phoneUpdated 2 sources
Card Condition Grader
Five questions about your card
Condition
Answer the five questions. The result updates as you go, and the worst answer sets it.
Worked example
A holo with light whitening and a couple of scratches
The card: light whitening in a few spots on the back edges, a little white on one corner that’s still pointed, and two light scratches you only see under a lamp. It lies flat, with no writing or other damage.
Answers: surface, a few light scratches → Lightly Played. Edges, light whitening → Lightly Played. Corners, a little white → Lightly Played. Bends and creases, none → Near Mint. Other damage, none → Near Mint. Result: Lightly Played, because the worst answers sit there.
Three flaws sit at Lightly Played, and TCGplayer counts the number of flaws as well as how bad they are, so compare the card with the Moderately Played description before listing it. Give the same card one light crease and it drops to Moderately Played: TCGplayer’s guide first allows creases there.
Reference
TCGplayer's five conditions
What TCGplayer’s condition guide allows at each step, in our words, and which answers in this tool land there. Foils are judged by the same standard. As of September 2026 (guide last updated March 14, 2025).
| Condition | What TCGplayer allows | Where it stops | Answers here that land on it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near Mint (NM) | Minimal wear from handling: a nearly unmarked surface, crisp corners, clean edges apart from a few slight flaws, such as slight edge wear or a couple of minor scratches. | No major defects; it should look nearly unplayed. Mint and Gem Mint aren't separate conditions on TCGplayer, so Near Mint is the top of the scale. | No flaws beyond the slight wear Near Mint allows |
| Lightly Played (LP) | Minor edge wear, scuffs or scratches. | Nothing significant and nothing wrong with the card's structure. The guide first mentions bends and creases at Moderately Played. | Surface: a few light scratches or scuffs; Edges: light whitening in a few spots; Corners: a little white on a corner or two, still pointed |
| Moderately Played (MP) | Edge wear, surface wear, scratching or scuffing, bends with creases, or a mix of moderate flaws. Bends, peels or liquid exposure can pass if the card's structure is intact. | Nothing that damages the card's structure. | Surface: obvious scratching or scuffing; Edges: whitening along several edges; Corners: visible wear, slightly rounded; Bends and creases: a slight bend or small dent, no crease line; Bends and creases: one light crease; Other damage: light water exposure: a slight ripple or spot, still sound |
| Heavily Played (HP) | A major amount of wear: many moderate flaws along with creasing, whitening and other faults. | It must still be possible to authenticate it, and it can't be structurally damaged. | Surface: heavy wear across much of the card; Edges: heavy whitening or chipping all the way round; Corners: clearly rounded or frayed; Bends and creases: heavy or several creases, still in one piece |
| Damaged (DMG) | Wear beyond the other four: major border wear, heavy scratching or scuffing, bends, tears, splitting, foreign substances, or anything that harms the card's integrity. | Crimps, big miscuts and alterations (stamps, signatures, paint, marker) count as Damaged on their own. | Surface: broken surface: gouges, tears, or peeling that weakens the card; Edges: edges split, peeling apart or torn; Corners: a corner is torn, split, folded over or missing; Bends and creases: folded, or a crease that has broken the card; Other damage: water damage that warped or weakened the card; Other damage: writing, ink, marker, a stamp or a signature; Other damage: stuck-on residue: sticker, tape, glue or food; Other damage: a tear, hole or piece missing; Other damage: factory crimp, or a big miscut |
How to use it
In 4 steps
- 1Take the card out of its sleeve and hold it under a bright lamp, front and back.
- 2Tilt it to catch scratches (holo and foil show them most), then check the edges and all four corners. The dark blue back shows whitening best.
- 3Lay it flat and look along it at eye level for bends, dents and creases.
- 4Answer each question with the worst thing you see. The condition and the rule that set it update as you go.
Condition is not the same as a grade
TCGplayer’s five conditions describe raw cards sold on its marketplace. Grading companies such as PSA, CGC and TAG use a 1–10 scale with their own rules, and TCGplayer publishes no conversion between the two, so this tool doesn’t give one. If you’re thinking about a slab, measure the centering and read how Pokémon card grading works.
Why the worst flaw wins. Each TCGplayer condition lists the wear it allows. A card with Near Mint corners and a crease can’t be Near Mint, because creases first appear at Moderately Played. TCGplayer also judges the number of flaws, but it doesn’t publish a count, so this tool flags several flaws at the same level rather than guessing where the line is.
The card has to stay a card. TCGplayer weighs three things: structure (is the cardstock sound), playability (can it be used in a game) and authentication (can it still be verified as real). Heavily Played cards can be very worn but must still be authenticatable and structurally sound. Anything past that is Damaged.
Some things are Damaged on their own. Alterations such as stamps, signatures, paint and marker count as Damaged, and so do factory crimps and significant miscuts. Cards with foreign substances such as food or liquid can’t be listed on TCGplayer at all.
FAQ
Condition: questions
What's the difference between Near Mint and Lightly Played?
On TCGplayer's scale, Near Mint shows minimal wear: a nearly unmarked surface, crisp corners and clean edges apart from slight edge wear or a couple of minor scratches. Lightly Played allows minor edge wear, scuffs or scratches, with nothing significant and nothing wrong with the card's structure.
Does a crease make a Pokémon card Damaged?
Not by itself on TCGplayer's scale. Its condition guide allows bends with creases at Moderately Played and creasing at Heavily Played, as long as the card isn't structurally damaged. A fold, or a crease that breaks the card, is Damaged.
Is a signed Pokémon card Damaged?
On TCGplayer, yes: its condition guide counts alterations such as stamps, signatures, paint and marker as Damaged. Grading companies treat autographs separately; CGC, for example, grades autographs on their own 5-to-10 scale.
Does TCGplayer have a Mint condition?
No. TCGplayer's condition guide says Mint or Gem Mint cards are not sold on TCGplayer, so Near Mint is the top of its five-step scale.
Can I convert Near Mint to a PSA grade?
No. TCGplayer's conditions and the grading companies' 1–10 scales are separate systems, and TCGplayer publishes no conversion. How a Near Mint raw card grades depends on its centering, corners, edges and surface measured against each grading company's own standards.
Are factory miscuts and crimps Damaged?
Yes, on TCGplayer. Its condition guide says crimping and significant miscuts or shifting automatically make a card Damaged, even though they happened at the factory.
Not answered here? Ask us — a photo of the card helps.
Sources
Where these numbers come from
- [1]TCGplayer Help Center, “Card Condition Guide” (last updated March 14, 2025) (opens in a new tab)The five conditions and what each allows; condition set by “the number and extent of imperfections”; crimps, big miscuts and alterations are Damaged; foreign substances can’t be listed; no Mint or Gem Mint. Read 2026-09-22.
- [2]CGC Cards, “Grading Scale” (opens in a new tab)A grading company’s 1–10 scale for comparison, including its separate 5-to-10 autograph grades. Read 2026-09-22.
Last reviewed . Spot something wrong? Text (760) 453-6389 and we’ll fix it.
Related tools
- Card Centering CalculatorMeasure the borders (or line up guides on a photo) and see the best grade centering allows at PSA, CGC and TAG.
- Should I Grade It?Raw value vs. graded value minus fees, shipping and selling costs — the grade you need just to break even.
- Sleeve & Toploader Size FinderPenny sleeve, perfect fit, deck sleeve, toploader, magnetic holder or semi-rigid — the right size and thickness for each card.
Rather have us look at it?
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